Our pets

[LPBeier]

LP, Violet will eventually learn to cope.

Bless you for teaching hand signals. My parents bred, showed, did obedience and hunted their dogs; hand signals were an integral part.

Thanks, Dragnlaw. Our next door neighbour when I was growing up trained shepherds as guard dogs. She said it was very important to incorporate hand signals into training because anyone can tell a dog to sit or stay but if that verbal is given with a hand signal, there is less chance a burglar could subdue the animal. I have taught all my dogs a combination since.

 

[dragnlaw]

LP, there is another point with hand signals. A dog on the far side of the field cannot always hear a command but can usually see it.

If I have to cross the road to pick up my mail I want my dog to stay on the other side... she does. I re-enforce the signal when a vehicle comes.

The point here being if you have made your dog 'stay' somewhere you can also 'bring' him/her to you with just a hand signal. Sheepherder's use a whistle to the same effect in having their dogs guide to the left or right or divide... but I'm sure you know that, just wanted to mention...

 

[Addie]

LP, Violet will eventually learn to cope.

Bless you for teaching hand signals. My parents bred, showed, did obedience and hunted their dogs; hand signals were an integral part.

The majority of police departments get their German Shepherds from Germany. The reason being that all commands are given to the dog in the language they heard from their time of puppyhood. So they train their dogs to only obey with commands spoken in German. Not too many criminals know German or that the dogs are trained in that language. If you ever watch a police show with the dogs, you will hear the officer give the commands in German to stop once the criminal is under control.

Along with the German language, the dogs are also taught to obey hand commands. When you are sneaking upon a criminal, you do not want the dog to be barking and giving away the officer's position.

 

[Cheryl J]

Princess, so glad to hear Django is on his way to recovery and back to feistiness.

LP, sorry to hear about Violet's ear complications. It's so hard when our furbabies go through trauma, especially as they're getting older. My Mr. Blackee is 17 this month and I'm noticing he's not getting around quite as well, and not being so meticulous about grooming himself. Eating and drinking, and using the litter box well, though.

Addie, police dogs are bred in the states now, and have been for quite some time. They go to school from puppyhood with their trainers and the police officer(s) who will be with them (hopefully), throughout their career. They live at the home of the primary K9 police officer so they can develop a trusting bond. As mentioned, they're trained to follow a combination of hand and verbal signs from their owner/trainers. Those dogs are amazing.

 

[Addie]

Princess, so glad to hear Django is on his way to recovery and back to feistiness.

LP, sorry to hear about Violet's ear complications. It's so hard when our furbabies go through trauma, especially as they're getting older. My Mr. Blackee is 17 this month and I'm noticing he's not getting around quite as well, and not being so meticulous about grooming himself. Eating and drinking, and using the litter box well, though.

Addie, police dogs are bred in the states now, and have been for quite some time. They go to school from puppyhood with their trainers and the police officer(s) who will be with them (hopefully), throughout their career. They live at the home of the primary K9 police officer so they can develop a trusting bond. As mentioned, they're trained to follow a combination of hand and verbal signs from their owner/trainers. Those dogs are amazing.

In Boston, our dogs still come from Germany and are trained in the German language. I had a friend who had a full bred German Shepherd. She had a large litter of puppies, also full blooded registered German Shepherds. She wanted to donate the puppies to the police department. They thanked her but told her "no thanks." That is when they explained the why of their decision.

A couple of the puppies were pure white. One of the officers did take one of them to have as a family pet. My girlfriend refused to take any money for the puppy. She knew it was going to a really good home with children. The rest of the puppies went quickly. All to good homes with children. She insisted on the "children" requirement. She knew that inside these puppies was the instinct to protect its family as it grew into adulthood. But at the same time it was not going to be trained to be vicious. It was just before Christmas and there were a lot of happy children that Christmas.

 

[taxlady]

PF, so glad to hear that Django is recovering well.

LP, (((hugs))) to you and Violet. I hope she gets used to the deafness quickly. Poor pooch.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Django is home and he's being very good for me. He must be a Mama's Boy! I got the medications down him without problem. He looks scruffy, though!

 

[Cooking Goddess]

LP, I hope Violet adjusts to her new normal soon. Hugs to both of you.

Django is home and he's being very good for me. He must be a Mama's Boy! I got the medications down him without problem. He looks scruffy, though!

Glad he's feeling better - which must make you feel better. I bet you won't even mind him acting up for a while.

 

[LPBeier]

Thanks, everyone.

Tonight we had a bit of a situation. I have not been feeling well for a few days - my vertigo has been really bad. A neighbour took Violet for her afternoon time at the park but I didn't want to bother her again for the early evening trip. I took my walker and was happy to see that no one was in the park so we would just do our trip around it. A friend came up just as we were passing the gate so I said we could go in for a little bit. Jake and Violet are both older dogs and just love laying on the grass while I chat with his "Dad". I was able to sit on my walker and it was shady and cool.

Pretty soon the park was filling up and I said we would be on our way. Violet somehow slipped by me in the leash-up area (a two gate system). I called to her but of course she couldn't hear me and I couldn't run after her. I was just about to yell for help when Jake's Dad comes from the other direction and grabs her. He leashed her up and got my walker then made me sit until I was a little more steady. I have to keep that in mind, especially with traffic - I can't act fast and she can't hear.

We'll get this all figured out.

 

[Addie]

I was watching reruns of The Incredible Dr. Pol today. He made a statement that I always found to be so true.

"Kids who grow up with animals turn out all right as adults."


When I had my 4-H kids, I was always amazed at just how dedicated they were to the needs of their animals than themselves. Kids who grew up on farms always had chores to do and were totally responsible for their own animals. That meant that if they had dairy animals, they were up at four or five in the a.m. to feed them, water them, wash them and prepare them to be hooked up to the milking machines. It was no different at the fair than at home. The only difference was then they had to go to school after doing all that. They knew hard work and never complained. No matter what social activities they may want to attend, their animals always came first.

I never had one kid that I had to keep an eye on. I just love farm kids.

 

[cjmmytunes]

I was watching reruns of The Incredible Dr. Pol today. He made a statement that I always found to be so true.

"Kids who grow up with animals turn out all right as adults."

We watched Dr Pol yesterday, also. I have to tape it for Mom every Saturday evening so she can watch it on Sunday. He's right about the kids, though.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Django is doing better, still having problems with going potty. Will call the Vet today about that.

Latté is fat, fine and frisky.

Smudge is not doing well, she's 19 years old. I think she is in pain and is no longer grooming herself, I think she will need a final visit to the Vet soon.

 

[Addie]

Django is doing better, still having problems with going potty. Will call the Vet today about that.

Latté is fat, fine and frisky.

Smudge is not doing well, she's 19 years old. I think she is in pain and is no longer grooming herself, I think she will need a final visit to the Vet soon.

I am so sorry to hear this Princess. Some decisions in life are so painful to make.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

...Smudge is not doing well, she's 19 years old. I think she is in pain and is no longer grooming herself, I think she will need a final visit to the Vet soon.

I'm so sorry, PF. Maybe her little body will decide on its own that it's time to give up the fight. Sad as it was, I feel grateful that poor LittleBit died in my arms.

OK, gotta go...*sniff*

 

[Andy M.]

PF sorry you furry friends aren't doing well.

 

[Dawgluver]

Glad Latté is nice and peppy, and Django is on the road to recovery. So sad to hear about little Smudge. Pets just don't last long enough, and it's so hard to say goodbye.

 

[medtran49]

Sorry to hear about Smudge. It's so hard to let them go. I kept our pug Pandora around a lot longer than I should have. She was almost 17.

Glad to hear about the other 2 though.

 

[taxlady]

Glad Latté is nice and peppy, and Django is on the road to recovery. So sad to hear about little Smudge. Pets just don't last long enough, and it's so hard to say goodbye.

^^
(((Hugs)))

 

[dragnlaw]

So sorry Princes! More hugs coming your way!

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Thanks Everyone! Nothing in stone at this time, but I hate to think she is in pain and cannot tell me.